Reaching the age of thirty, my income randomly doubled

The next day.

After breakfast at home, Chen Pingsheng prepared to drive to his class.

There were still two days of classes this month, and he needed to be on time.

Upon waking up, Chen An'an, with nothing better to do, actually dragged her younger sister to watch her practice Praying Mantis Fist in the yard.

Chen Xinyi seemed quite happy sleeping in the baby chair.

She giggled and cooed.

Chen An'an was quite imaginative; she had gone out of her way to catch a few fat praying mantises and her form looked quite convincing.

His wife had to go to work too, so the two little kids were left in the care of his mother, Peng Ying.

Chen Qi would only come over at noon to take Chen An'an to her classes.

The CEO class quickly formed its own small circles over the course of a day.

No one knew how Wang Yanfeng entertained his guests last night, but by morning, many people were chummy with him, arm in arm.

Especially Liu Hai, who seemed to have had a really good time.

He was still walking a bit unsteady.

Tong Zelan arrived slightly later; she had changed her outfit today but still maintained the look of a professional woman.

A fitted shirt paired with tight jeans.

Her wavy hair just reached her ample chest, exuding efficiency and sexiness.

Wanting to discuss something with her, Chen Pingsheng deliberately sat a bit closer to her.

"Zelan, you sure are punctual," he said.

Tong Zelan glanced at him coolly, "Just call me Zelan. Cut the 'sister'. A leopard never shows its spots without reason; what do you need from me?"

"Well..."

Chen Pingsheng didn't beat around the bush, "It's about Fei Yangyang and Tengying Entertainment. First off, I want to clarify that I'm definitely not short on cash; I'm just not too familiar with the process of going public, and I thought I'd come to you for some advice!"

"Going public? Are you thinking of a reverse merger or a direct application?"

Tong Zelan saw right through his little schemes: "I think you're less interested in advice and more interested in my investment. But let's not talk about other things; has Tengying Entertainment produced even one of its own TV dramas yet? Do you have a steady source of income? Do you have your own core competitiveness?"

In Tong Zelan's eyes, Tengying Entertainment was essentially a product without any features.

It simply had a second-tier celebrity, Zhao Liying, and a nonsensical artist training program.

And that was it.

How could she invest in that?

Girl, you're shortsighted.

Chen Pingsheng found it hard to explain; any of his companies might run at a loss, but Tengying truly wasn't one of them.

Unless the Golden Finger malfunctioned.

Wang Yanfeng was all ears from the front and now turned around to butt in, "Ha, I thought you had some skills, turns out Tengying really can't make ends meet."

Chen Pingsheng couldn't be bothered with that daddy's boy clown; he still wanted to try to secure Tong Zelan's investment.

"Tengying's finances have never experienced a loss. Moreover, our drama 'Hua Qiangu' is about to wrap up filming; by the end of this month at the latest, or perhaps next month, we will launch a promotional bidding event with TV stations. Don't underestimate us."

"Nine out of ten TV dramas lose money. We'll talk after 'Hua Qiangu' is released," she said.

After a pause, Tong Zelan curiously asked, "How much do you think you're worth?"

"Not much, considering our classmateship," Chen Pingsheng replied, raising three fingers.

Tong Zelan frowned slightly, "Thirty million?"

That would be a joke. Chen Pingsheng shook his head.

"So you mean three billion."

Three billion, that's a negligible amount in the internet valuation world.

Almost any good idea, a decent leader, or a solid business plan could be valued at that figure right off the bat.

Chen Pingsheng shook his head again.

This time, Tong Zelan truly frowned. Without saying anything, she pointed to the furthest table, "Mr. Chen, go sit over there, away from me. I don't want to see you anymore."

She felt like she was being treated like a fool.

Without a reputable director, a highly esteemed agent, or a top-tier celebrity.

What made him dare to ask for thirty billion?

Liang Jingru straddling him, belting out "Courage" every day?

"Haha, he didn't ask for three billion, did he?"

"You didn't see Tong Zelan's face, she was so angry it turned red."

"This Mr. Chen really has the guts to ask, huh? They offer him one billion and he refuses, but then he still thinks about seeking a partnership with them."

"What on earth does he think about all day long?"

Everyone thought Chen Pingsheng had gone mad, an entertainment company that produces TV dramas is not some kind of innovative industry.

This is a traditional industry.

What made him think he could demand thirty billion with nothing to show for it, let alone him, even those big directors or the entertainment companies bolstered by A-list celebrities.

I'm afraid they wouldn't dare to name that price outright.

"Chen, brother, are you in need of cash?"

He Bijun leaned over and, instead of scoffing like the others, whispered, "I've got a bit over here, brother. If you need it urgently, I can lend it to you."

"Thanks, He,"

Chen Pingsheng sincerely thanked him. "But I'm not short on cash; I approached Tong Zelan to secure a big investment bank as a lively signboard."

"Then I can't help you with that."

He Bijun still sat next to him, and the two of them continued to chat about pig farming, enjoying themselves immensely.

"Chen, brother, in my opinion, if you really want to do a full category, it's best to handle breeding yourself. Nowadays, with money in hand, everyone wants to eat with assurance. You've already got your own distribution channels, so breeding shouldn't be too difficult for you."

He hadn't considered this yet, but maybe one day in the future, he really would step into it.

After all, more and more land in the countryside is being left fallow.

The young people have all gone to work in the cities, and the elderly can barely work the fields anymore.

Besides, nowadays, if farming and breeding in rural areas aren't properly planned and technically supported, the income is shockingly low.

To be more specific, a typical family.

Cultivating two or three acres of land, busy from planting at the beginning of the year till the autumn harvest at the end.

They can earn, at most, a few tens of thousands a year, and that's under very good circumstances.

It's no wonder fewer and fewer people are farming these days.

"Let's talk about this later. In a few days, my supermarkets will open, and I'll invite He to take a look then!"

Chen Pingsheng was unperturbed by his failure to attract Tong Zelan's investment.

Things still had to be done according to plan; the professor who had taught them the day before was lecturing again today.

The content of the lecture was broad and highly pragmatic, mainly analyzing some famous enterprises over the past two decades.

By dissecting their successes or failures, the lecture aimed to help everyone better understand the pitfalls of business thinking.

It is worth mentioning that in the nineties, enterprises were all about marketing.

Back then, people still believed what they saw on TV.

So, advertisements were everywhere.

Later, there came Historian Shi who advertised that gift-giving meant giving Laobaigan Liquor.

With that slogan, he made a miraculous comeback.

The advertising world then began to embrace the concept of positioning.

That is, implanting a brand concept into the customer's mind.

To clearly let them know what your brand is all about.

There are many brands like this.

Say, for example, "If you love her, treat her to Häagen-Dazs."

"A diamond is forever and will be passed on forever."

And "When it comes to gifts, only Laobaigan Liquor will do."

One could say that as long as positioning is mastered to its fullest, marketing becomes quite straightforward.

The daily curriculum varied, but luckily everyone was an experienced CEO and could grasp these concepts."

The three-day course ended quickly, and the next gathering wouldn't be until September.

Three days a month, that's thirty-six days a year.